Holding device for newspapers.



J. K. MORRIS. HOLDING DEVICE FOR NEWSPAPERS. APPLIGATION FILED MAY 8, 1908.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

Hill]!!! I! vide a device of the character referre STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

.JOHN KNOX MORRIS, OF NEWHALL, GALIFGRNIA.

HOLDING DEVICE FOR NEWSPAPERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

2 Application flied May 8, 1908. Serial No. 431,702.

e To all whom it may concern:

Be-i't known that I, JOHN Knox Mourns, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Newhall, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Holding Devices for Newspapers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to holding devices for newspapers and packages,and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide a device of comparatively simple construction which will securely hold a newspaper or other package delivered to a residence and tohold the same against surreptitious withdrawal by unauthorized persons.

Another object of the invention is to are to which shall be ornamental, or at least not unsightly, and which will be provided with meanswhereby the householdwil] be notified when a newspaper or package has been deposited inthe holder.

"Sti-llonother object of the invention is to provide a holder made in the form of an animal or bird-in which the jaws of the animal'or bird will close upon a newspaper or other package and hold it firmly until it is released by the person opening the door to obtain the same.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

-F1 ure 1 1s a front elevation of a hold? mg evice made 1naccordance with my m- --v.ention shown attached to a door casing and showing a. portion of a door hinged to the casing. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the same Fig. 3 is a sectional view on in the usual manner to said frame.

the line 33 of Fi 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the evice for releasing the jaws of the holder.

Referring to the drawing for a more specific description of my invention, the numeral l designates the door, and 2 is the door frame, said door adapted to be hingszd cured in the panel of the door frame is my holder for newspapers and packa s consisting of a base plate 3 provided with suitable screw holes 4 for the screws 5 which secure the device in place. As shown in the drawing, the base plate has formed inte ral with it a lions head 6. It will be im erstood, however, that the head of another animal or other bird, or, in fact, need be,

a plain casing of the required dimensions may serve my purpose. In the front part of the head is a mouth 7 forming an opening of suflicient size to admit a newspaper or other parcel of similar character.

Pivoted upon the transverse rods 8 within the head or casing is a pair of jaw members 9, each provided with inwardly disposed teeth 10- projecting beyond the lips of the mouth I. The base portion 3 is provided wit-h areeess 11, and the door casing is'also recessed at 12 in line with the recess in the base plate. The jaw members 9 extend through these recesses and are pivoted to the rods 8, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

Conductor wires a, 7) are connected to the binding posts 0 secured into the members 9. said conductor a leading to a battery d, and from thence to a bell 6, while the conductor b leads from the binding 0 to said bell.

A sleeve 1 1 secured to an integral bracket 15 within the head or casing has arin or gasket of insulated material therein, an extending through said gasket is a rod, 17 having. upon its front end a curved yoke 18 and upon its rear end a wedge shaped head 21. Surrounding the rod 17 is a spiral spring 19, one end of which bears against the yoke 18 and the opposite end against a collar 20 positioned adjacent the gasket 16. This spring 19 is adapted to normally force the yoke 18 forward towards the mouth 7. J ournaled on the sides of the members 9 are rollers 22, against which the head 21 of the rod 17 is forced to close the teeth 10 when papers are deposited in the mouth 7 and pushed sufiiciently to compress the spring 19 and force the teeth into engagement with the papers.

'Connected to the shaft 17 is a bar 23 which extends laterally through the side of the casing 6 and is provided upon its outer end with a short rack bar 24:. A pawl 25 connected to a spring arm 26 engages the teeth of the rack bar 24 when the door 1 is closed, and secured to the door is a plate 27 which carries the spring arm 26 and the pawl 25.

The operation of my invention may be briefly described as follows: The newspa er or other package is deposited in'the mout 7 between the teeth 10 and pushed back sufliciently to push the yoke 18 andto move the wedge-she d head between the rollers 22, thus comp eting a circuit through the conductors' a,

understood that the door leaving the jaws in the condition shown in Fig. 2-ready for another paperor package.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that my invention is of comparatively simple construction, can be used Without the electrical annunciator and is strong, durable and eflicient' in use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, 1s I 1'. 'A holder for newspapersand packages comprising a casing having an opening therein,'a pair of jaw members pivoted with-- in the casing and extending beyond the b to the bell e and ringing said It will be.

openingin said casing, a roclinounted to slide in the sleeve within the casing and provided with a yoke and spring, and means whereby an electrical connection is established when the yoke is pushed inward.

2. In a device of the character described, a casing having an opening in the front portion thereof, a pair of jaw members, a rod having a yoke on the end thereof, a wedgeshaped head on the opposite end thereof, a spring surrounding said rod for forcing the same outwardly, and electrical means for ringing a bell when said rod is forced backwarclly by a paper or parcel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- JOHN KNOX lHORRlS.

Witnesses Manon G. Morris, E. G. Po ERoY. 

